AG says PS member who is on death-row is disqualified from attending or voting at sittings.

Colombo (News 1st); Attorney General Dappula De Livera on Wednesday (07) had advised the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice that convicted Kahawatte Pradeshiya Sabha member Vajira Darshana De Silva, who was sentenced to death, is disqualified from attending or voting at sittings.

This was confirmed to News 1st by State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne, the Coordinating Officer to the Attorney General.

On Tuesday (06) Ex-Chairman of the Kahawatte Pradeshiya Sabha Manikka Waduge Vajira Darshana de Silva who was sentenced to death along with Parliamentarian Premalal Jayasekera requested the Commissioner General of Prisons to allow him to attend the Kahawatte Pradeshiya Sabha session fixed for the 08th of October.

The Commissioner-General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya in a letter to the Secretary to the Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement said the death-row inmate had made the request via an attorney.

Wajira Darshana Silva was sentenced to death as well as 47 years in prison on the 31st of July and was incarcerated on the same day.

According to the letter, the death-row inmate had filed an appeal against the death sentence and is currently at the Welikada Prison as an inmate who had filed an appeal.

The Prisons Commissioner General had requested the Ministry Secretary to advise on the matter as Prison Laws and Regulations do not contain provisions for such a request.